Mirror Image
by PyramidHead316
Summary: AU. One ordinary afternoon, Heather Morris meets Alessa, a mysterious girl with an eerie resemblance. What happens when their dark pasts, a mysterious order, and Heather's own father emerge to challenge their new friendship?
1. Chance Encounter

Disclaimer: Silent Hill (tm) and its characters are owned by the geniuses at Konami. I take no credit for any recognizable characters, locations, themes, and so forth. I am not making any money whatsoever from this work of writing. It's Konami's twisted little universe; I'm just having some fun with it. Any recognizable store names or brands belong to the individuals or corporations who own them. I have absolutely nothing of value except for my video game collection and my computer, so please don't sue.

This story takes place in an alternate universe. It's also rather lighthearted in nature for the first few chapters. When I first started the story, the focus was solely on Alessa and Heather. However, it has grown since then and I guarantee The Order will be involved at one point later on.

I should warn you there will be some f/f situations much later in the story. It'll be mild for the version of the story on this site, but it will be there. If you're offended by that type of relationship, then don't say later on I didn't warn you. Of course, if you are that squeamish, I have to wonder what you're doing in the Silent Hill category in the first place. ;)

* * *

Chapter 1 – Chance Encounter

The day started out like any other for Heather Morris. She woke up at ten in the morning, went through her usual routine, and then ate a great breakfast prepared by her dad. Afterwards, she decided to head to the nearby mall for a bit of shopping.

Heather had graduated from high school the previous year, but she didn't feel ready to pursue any higher education yet. It wasn't that college didn't appeal to her. She just wasn't sure what she wanted to do with her life yet. Plus, she figured she deserved a break after so many years of school. She didn't have a full time job either; she did well enough taking part time ones for a while whenever she needed more money than her weekly allowance. The result was that she had a great deal of free time on her hands. Today she was going to spend it at the mall.

Like many girls her age, Heather loved the mall. The people, the sounds, all the great stores, the carefree atmosphere; it was one of her favorite places. Even though she didn't have any close friends to hang out with, she still liked to spend a lot of time there shopping and browsing. The Ashfield Hills Galleria wasn't as big as the malls in nearby Central City, but it wasn't bad for a small town shopping center either.

She was in a clothing store checking out some t-shirts, when she noticed a girl with long black hair nearby. Heather didn't pay her any mind at first. The girl was facing away from her, but she didn't think it was anyone she recognized. Not at first. But then she got a weird feeling. There was something about this girl…something Heather couldn't quite put her finger on. She seemed familiar somehow. Maybe it was someone from school, but somehow, she didn't think so.

Heather was definitely intrigued. When the girl left the store a few moments later, Heather decided to follow her, albeit discreetly – she had no desire to get arrested for stalking. The chase led her into an EB Games shop, then GameStop. Heather wasn't much for video games, but she pretended to browse while keeping an eye on the subject of her piqued curiosity. She managed to sneak a few glances at the girl's face, and what she saw left her very surprised: this chick looked a heck of a lot like her. Oh, they weren't exactly the same; she lacked the freckles that still adorned Heather's cheeks. But other than that, they could have been sisters.

_Freaky_, Heather thought.

The Happy Burger inside the mall was the next stop on the girl's, and Heather's, little adventure. As usual, the place was fairly packed with people who enjoyed the greasy but tasty fast food. No surprise there. The joint ruled in Heather's opinion. She watched the object of her pursuit purchase her food, and then sit down at the farthest table in the back. When she was sure it was safe, Heather went up to the register and ordered the same things. It was her favorite meal, and she wondered if the same went for whoever this girl was.

She took a table some distance away from the brunette. They ate at about the same speed, though Heather continued to steal looks at the fascinating girl. She was certain she had never once seen this chick in school. And the way she looked so much like Heather was unsettling. Even her hair looked like Heather's before she had gotten it trimmed.

Maybe it was just a coincidence. The feeling in Heather's gut told her otherwise. Something funny was going on here.

_Alrighty then_, Heather decided. She'd done enough observing. If she wanted an answer to this mystery, she would just have to suck up her courage and ask the girl who she was. She wasn't worried. What was the worst that could happen? The girl would get annoyed, Heather would apologize, and that would be that. And if not, perhaps the brunette would turn out to be equally interested in their shared resemblance, even if there wasn't some perplexing reason behind it.

Heather smiled. If nothing else, maybe she would make a new friend today.

Unfortunately, just as she was about to approach her, the girl got up from her seat and headed for the exit. Heather bit back a curse. Oh no, she wasn't getting away that easily!

* * *

Alessa had the palpable sensation of being watched. It was not an unusual thing to experience in a mall, with all the people walking about. Her being a teenage girl contributed to that. She was aware some people might consider her attractive, teenage boys in particular, and she was wont to being stared at public, especially in places like this. 

However, this was something different from the usual gawking she received hormone-driven boys. There was some intangible gut feeling that hinted to her this person was not only staring at her, they were actually following her through the mall. She had felt it ever since she left a clothing store a while back, and the feeling only increased as she walked into the Happy Burger fast food spot.

Reflexively, she felt for the can of pepper spray she kept in her pocket as she reached for her wallet. She had learned to trust her instincts when they spoke to her. Years of dealing with threats to her life most human beings never faced had proven them accurate. If those instincts told her she was being followed, then there was no question about it: she was being followed.

The question was, by whom?

She took a glance around her at the crowd. Nobody really stood out, although that meant nothing. The best criminals, and the most dangerous, were often ones that blended into the crowd. To draw too much attention to yourself was to make people wary of you, and that was something psychopaths like rapists, murderers and cultists couldn't afford to do. If they wanted to succeed with whatever sick act they had planned, they had to keep an air of inconspicuousness about them.

Which meant Alessa had to be extra careful. Whoever it was would not reveal themselves in public. They would wait until she was away from the masses, in the parking lot perhaps, where she was vulnerable…unless Alessa identified them first and singled them out to someone who would help her. Mall security was nearby, and her father would be there in a heartbeat if she called.

She sat down at one of the tables. She took some tentative bites of her food, though she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her every move. If only she had some inkling of whom it was.

Still, she was hungry, and she wasn't going to let some freak detract from satisfying her appetite. She finished her meal in calculated bites, taking much longer than she normally would have. However, the feeling of being observed would not leave her awareness. After finishing her lunch, she decided it was best to get moving. She threw away her trash and placed the tray in its appropriate spot, then quickly left the restaurant.

As she strolled towards the central exit, the feeling of being followed intensified. Whoever was trailing her was not getting less persistent. Finally, Alessa decided she'd had enough. She stopped dead still and swept around, intent on giving this person a piece of her mind and a blast of pepper spray if necessary.

"Okay, why are you following me?" she started to say, only to be cut off as she realized who, or rather what, she was looking at.

* * *

Heather's father had once remarked than when she had a certain goal in mind, she went at it like a woman possessed. She was a bit of a slacker sometimes, but when motivated by a sufficient cause or purpose, she displayed a resolve and dedication few others could match. Nothing got in her way, not even her own doubts. 

She followed the other outside the door, careful to keep a certain distance between them. She didn't want to make it obvious she was following, after all. They moved across the mall in tandem, one apparently unaware of the other.

Or so Heather thought at first. She quickly became aware that perhaps this was not the case. Heather noticed that the other girl's steps had increased in speed. Was she aware of the stranger trailing right behind her?

Heather's own steps weren't exactly subtle. She was walking like a madwoman, until she realized she would probably bump into the girl unless she slowed down. Then she would really give away her presence.

Suddenly the girl stopped in her tracks, and before Heather could so much as blink, turned around to find herself with a shocked expression on her face. Heather knew the feeling. Two sets of eyes locked onto each other, as the minds behind them came to a standstill.

* * *

Alessa Summers, known once upon a time as Alessa Gillespie, was frozen in her steps. Standing five feet away from her was a girl of her height and weight, with short black hair and a red halter top that accentuated her thin, yet subtly fit frame. She was mildly attractive, but that wasn't what caught Alessa's attention so raptly. 

It was her face. It was the same face as Alessa's.

Alessa stared in soundless shock. The scolding she'd reserved for the stranger died on her lips as she realized this was no ordinary person that was following her. Alessa almost pinched herself just in case this was a dream, though she knew that was impossible. This…this couldn't be, could it?

She blinked her eyes hard, hoping in vain the image would disappear and she would just be left with a regular girl in its place. Of course her double stayed the same. And as the reality of the situation sunk in, Alessa realized the plain and simple truth.

This was her twin.

It didn't matter that she had shorter hair. It didn't matter that she had lighter colored eyes instead of hazel, which Alessa already knew somehow were contacts. This was her duplicate, she was sure of it. Against all the astronomical odds in the universe, she had somehow met up with the one person in existence who could claim to be her in every way that mattered.

She couldn't deal with this. And before either of them knew what happened she was running, desperate to get away from this…this _thing_ that had somehow found her in the mall.

"Wait!" her duplicate yelled after her, in a voice that was exactly like Alessa's. She seemed intent on catching up to Alessa. For what reason, Alessa didn't know. Nor did she care. She just wanted to get away from here as soon as possible. Before the other girl could get close to her, she bolted out the door. She thought she heard something drop on the ground, but paid it no mind. Now wasn't a time to hesitate – no way was she going back there.

"Shit!" Heather swore, watching the mystery girl rush out the exit. She wasn't going to sprint after her in the parking lot like a maniac. That was a surefire way of getting arrested if she'd ever heard one. Whatever this bizarre encounter was, it looked like she had lost the opportunity to investigate it. She sighed, feeling both chagrined and irritated at herself.

"Well, that went well."

It was then she noticed that the other girl had dropped something. Kneeling to pick it up, she discovered it was a cell phone about the same size as one that Heather carried herself. The small device was broken from the fall, with its back cover and battery pack laying on the floor. She carefully pieced the phone back together, finding as she did that there was a name written in glittering marker on the back. Heather looked curiously over the name, reading it aloud to herself.

"Alessa."

_Alessa…_

Why did that name sound so familiar?


	2. Two Different Lives

**Disclaimer: Silent Hill (tm) and its characters are owned by the geniuses at Konami. I take no credit for any recognizable characters, locations, themes, and so forth. I am not making any money whatsoever from this work of writing. It's Konami's twisted little universe; I'm just having some fun with it. Any recognizable store names or brands belong to the individuals or corporations who own those chains. I have absolutely nothing of value except for my video game collection and my computer, so please don't sue.**

**AN: I toyed with the idea of making my OCs Alessa's adoptive parents. I also considered making them her real parents instead of Dahlia, with only minimal tampering by the Order. After doing a lot of thinking about it, I finally decided on an idea that I think works very well and still gives Dahlia her appropriate due. In fact, I think it makes her even more evil. Unfortunately, you'll have to wait until later in the story to find out what it is. ;)**

* * *

Chapter 2 – Two Different Lives

On the outskirts of the city, in a very charming neighborhood, lay a house with an infamous history. Though not as large as some of the other residences nearby, the house was beautiful and imposing, maintaining a conspicuous presence at the center of the estate grounds. However, it was the manor's unique background which truly made it notable among all the other houses in the area.

It was this particular place Alessa Summers called home.

She drove up to the garage at the wheel of a 2001 Lincoln Continental. She stepped out of the car and locked the doors, giving a fond glance at the vehicle's silver body.

She had gotten the car for her sixteenth birthday. It was one of the two most notable presents she received that day – one from her father, the other from her best friend at the time. Both gave Alessa a sense of happiness and freedom she had never felt before. The car was a fabulous gift and a symbol of Alessa's burgeoning independence as a young woman. As for the latter gift…well, it was certainly another major step on her path to adulthood.

It started when she made a passing comment that she could really use a car of her own, instead of relying on her father or friend to get around. Alessa's father owned several vehicles, but they were strictly off-limits to her; all three were unsuitable for an inexperienced driver. Besides, Alessa made it clear she wanted something all her own.

Her father thought long and hard about what kind of car he would buy her. Alessa knew little about cars, so she wasn't exactly a big help. He mostly asked her about things like the color and overall look, sometimes pointing out particular vehicles at different car lots they saw. He decided on most of the features himself, since he wanted it to be a surprise.

When the day finally came to unveil the big present, Alessa was stunned. So much in fact that she was rendered silent. Her father almost mistook it as being that she didn't like her present, and he inwardly panicked, because that was a lot of money that would have gone down the drain if she hadn't. But she did like it, because no one had ever done something like this for her before. Alessa quickly realized she had to say something in order to not give her the wrong idea, and once she got over the initial shock, she was overjoyed to have something of her own, that established her reputation as an adult.

The Lincoln was as fine an automobile as anybody could want. Highly comfortable and loaded with features, it was spacious and safe, while maintaining an air of stylish refinement that didn't automatically scream out "wealthy". Stylish enough in fact, that the people who frequently tormented Alessa at her high school could find little to say about her brand new car. It wasn't one of their high-priced sports cars, but it was a damn good luxury car, and they all knew it.

A lot like the car, the home that loomed ahead had its own unique flair. The house wasn't as big as some of the others in the area, a couple of which could almost be considered castles in their scope. It was actually fairly modest, by comparison. Yet despite its modest size, the estate was a very great home in a great area. Alessa was a little uncertain at first, when she first moved in here; she had never lived in a house this big. But once she got over her own issues, Alessa was immediately comfortable in its surroundings. The size of the house afforded her an amount of privacy that she otherwise wouldn't have had in a regular house, and it made it fun to live in. She could explore the corridors and chambers of the structure, and pretend she was in some ancient house isolated from the rest of the world, just like in the stories she used to read; Alessa had a very active imagination. More importantly, it was home. Alessa hadn't had a home in years, up until that point; she certainly wasn't going to turn it down just because it didn't fit most people's perceptions of what was normal.

She was feeling odd, after that event in the afternoon. Her thoughts were still occupied by what happened at the mall. That wasn't a normal occurrence – not in the slightest. Thoughts of that girl, and what her parents would think, lingered at the forefront of her mind.

Alessa stared at the house ahead. How was she going to explain this?

* * *

She marched ahead into the home.

Miles away from Ashfield Hills, a silver 1995 Plymouth Neon pulled up outside of the entrance to the Daisy Villa apartment complex. After shutting down the engine, its driver secured the inside of the vehicle with a Club steering wheel lock. This neighborhood wasn't bad, but it wasn't exactly good either, and there had been several reported car thefts over the past few months. Considering what she had to go through just to get this car, its owner wasn't taking any chances.

Heather Morris stepped out of the car, giving it an appraising glance. The paint needed to be retouched, and the wind shield needed a good scrubbing. But those were surface things. More important was the stuff under the hood. If what she's seen recently was any indication, she was sure the engine probably needed some work too.

She loved that car.

It was no prize, that's for sure. But it was all she could afford at the moment. And it was hers. All hers.

She had gotten it some time after she finished high school. Her father had wanted to give her a car for her eighteenth birthday. But Heather knew her dad struggled to make ends meet and she didn't want him to spend a large amount of money on her; money that could be used for more important things. So she'd gotten a part time job and earned enough money to buy herself a decent used car. The money her dad had set aside to use for her present was instead mostly put back for more important things, at Heather's insistence. However, she did let him use part of it to treat her to a vacation in California she'd always wanted, which made for a great birthday gift.

The apartment building where Heather lived with her father was, in some respects, similar to the car itself. The exterior wasn't impressive, and if the outside of the building could be considered merely adequate, the inside was just downright in need of repair. The walls need to be thoroughly repainted, and the floor could benefit from the landlord hiring someone to spend a day or two cleaning it. The laundry room was nothing to talk about either; sometimes, Heather wondered if they wouldn't be better off washing their clothes by hand.

Heather was well aware of what people who didn't live there thought of the place. The few times she had brought over friends from school was enough – after her freshman year of high school, she didn't do it anymore. She supposed it would be different if she lived in a house. One of the things that bothered her the most was that some of the people at school were in worse shape than she was when it came to their families. Yet because they lived in their own homes, somehow, that translated to them having the right to be judgmental about her.

Heather's father was at his usual spot, sitting on his chair in front of the TV, when Heather went in. The TV was off, and a notebook was in his lap; he was hard at work on his writing. He briefly glanced back from his chair when he heard the door unlock, though he already knew it was his daughter. Only three people had keys to their place: himself, his daughter, and the landlord. The latter always knocked first, and other than the occasional get together with a few of the other tenants, they didn't get many visitors.

"Hey," he acknowledged his daughter's presence.

"Hi Dad," Heather said cheerfully. She locked the door behind her.

"Hi sweetheart," her father greeted back warmly as he stood from his chair.

Harry Morris was a tall middle aged man fifty-three years of age. His hair was dark brown with a few streaks of gray starting to creep in, and he was rather well built for his age, something which Heather sometimes teased him about. It was no secret among the female tenants of Daisy Villa that Harry was a very handsome man. He was also an available one. Unfortunately for them, the eligible bachelor had expressed absolutely no interest in dating someone.

Harry knew they wondered about him. The truth was that ever since his wife died, having a relationship just wasn't a priority anymore.

Sixteen years ago, Harry's wife Jodie had passed away from cancer when Heather was only three. It was a devastating loss for them both, and ever since that time, Harry had struggled to raise their daughter as a single parent. It had taken years, but eventually, he and Heather were able to move past the tragedy and start to get their lives back in order. Harry suspected starting school was a big help for Heather, as it meant the little girl finally had something else to occupy her thoughts; to keep her mind off the sadness of losing her mother.

Harry was a different matter. Jodie was the most important person in the world to him. They had been together since high school, getting married two years after graduating. Their relationship had thrived despite callous remarks from their relatives and close friends that the marriage wouldn't work. They spent many happy years together, and though attempts to start a family proved at many times unsuccessful, finally they were blessed with a beautiful baby girl who completed their loving household.

Then the cancer struck. Harry could only watch as the woman he loved endured a torturous treatment regimen, helpless to do anything except support his wife in her struggle…and pray that a miracle would happen.

That miracle did not occur. Harry was left a widower; left alone to start over and pick up the shattered pieces of his life. It was only Heather's presence in his life that kept him going. She needed someone to take care of her, and he couldn't in good conscience do something that would leave her alone. He certainly wouldn't entrust her wellbeing to someone else. He was the only family she had, and he was going to raise her as any good father would, not just for her sake, but for Jodie's. Heather would need someone to tell her about her mother when she got older.

Years had gone by since that time, and the pain of Jodie's death had lessened. Mostly. It was still there deep inside Harry's heart, and he was sure the same thing applied to Heather. But now, there was something else to fill the void left in Jodie's absence – the close bond the two of them shared.

Heather was closer to her father than any of the girls she had known in school. They did almost everything together, going to sporting events and movies together, and spending a lot of time just hanging out and enjoying each other's company. Harry was also an aspiring novelist, which left him a lot of time to spend together with his daughter.

He was completely devoted to her. Truthfully, Heather couldn't say she didn't enjoy that, even if her dad did get carried away sometimes. And even though money was tight around their household, they were happy together. That counted more than any amount of money ever could.

"You're home early," Harry pointed out, giving Heather a big hug.

Heather leaned into Harry's embrace. She wasn't a very affectionate person in public when strangers where present, but at home was a different story. Unlike some kids she'd known, she had no problems whatsoever hugging her father in the privacy of their home.

"Yeah, there wasn't much on sale today," Heather said. She paused, wondering whether to tell Harry about what happened today in the mall. Would her father even believe her? She barely believed it herself.

Unfortunately, Harry knew her too well. "What is it? Is something wrong?"

"No. No," Heather shook her head. "It's just…" She trailed off, unsure of where to begin.

"Did something happen at the mall?" Harry asked seriously. He could tell when something important was on Heather's mind.

"No," Heather hesitated again. However, a look from her dad told her he wasn't buying it. She decided to just come clean.

"Okay, yes, something did happen. I mean, it wasn't dangerous or anything. It was just...you'll never believe who I met at the mall today."

"A boy?" Harry quipped.

Heather scoffed. "Yeah right," she smirked. It was a long-running joke between them that Heather wasn't very interested in dating. She'd rather bang her head against a desk than go out with some of the guys she'd met; it would be way less painful.

And there had been guys who'd made the offer. Not many, but enough that Heather realized she really had no interest in being part of the dating game. Heather didn't consider herself extremely attractive or anything, but she was aware that some guys found her pretty, and a small number of them were brave enough to make the effort to ask her out. She turned all of them down, but some of them were persistent, and there was even one who called her house in an attempt to get her to change her mind. And when Harry answered the phone, the guy quickly ended up trying to score some points with Heather's father. If he made a good impression on Mr. Morris, or so the guy figured, maybe he would persuade Heather to give him a chance.

Alas, what he didn't realize, and neither did the others, was that there was no changing Heather's mind. She didn't like guys and she didn't want to date, and that was that. Why should she bother with going out on dates, when most guys her age were just after one thing? As for the ones who weren't, none of them had ever approached her, and she never noticed anyone in particular who caught her fancy. In short, there was just no reason for her to start dating anytime soon.

Naturally, Harry was thrilled by his daughter's lack of interest in pursuing a relationship. Like most normal fathers, he was very overprotective of his daughter. The thought of Heather getting involved with someone, and the issues that would arise, was just something he wasn't prepared to deal with. He did worry on occasion about Heather's lack of motivation to find someone, but for now, Harry Morris was content to know his little girl wasn't out there fighting off overeager boyfriends who let their hormones do their thinking for them.

"Actually, you're not going to believe this, but there was this girl there who looked just like me."

"That's it?" Harry asked, confused.

"No, Dad. You don't get it. She looked exactly like me," Heather emphasized. "Same face, same hair, same body."

Now Harry did raise an eyebrow. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah. Remember what I looked like before I dyed my hair blonde?"

"Yeah," Harry nodded, recalling Heather's 11th grade experiment. Personally, he thought the short blonde hair made her look grungy, but of course, he never thought of saying that to her. She had gone back to her natural color since that time, but it still wasn't as long as it had been.

"And before I got a face full of these?" Heather asked, pointing to the freckles on her cheeks."

"Yeah."

"That's her, in a nutshell."

"Wow. That's…"

"Unbelievable? Yeah, you know it. It's amazing really, 'cause here I was minding my own business, when I suddenly this…I don't know, vibe about this girl nearby."

"So you just had to check her out?" Harry said. He knew how curious Heather got when something caught her eye.

"Exactly," Heather smiled. "Man, I can't believe it. She was the same as me. She even sounded the same too."

"And there were no differences whatsoever between the two of you?" Harry asked. He was dubious about this, to say the least, but Heather was a smart kid. The least he could do was indulge her.

"Well, her hair was longer. And she didn't have these freckles," Heather added hesitantly. She didn't want her dad to doubt her. "But I know what I saw."

"Heather," Harry said uncertainly, unsure of how to put it.

"Dad, no. Trust me, if you'd have been there, you'd have been amazed too."

"Maybe it was a coincidence?" Harry suggested.

"No, I'm almost positive it's not. Dad, she sounded just like me. And she had the same face I do. I know what my face looks like under these," Heather stressed, touching the blemishes just above her cheeks.

She knew Harry was skeptical about the whole thing, but she wasn't going to give up convincing him now that she had spilled the beans about it. Despite those minor differences, she knew there was more to it than either of them realized.

"Did you get her name?" Harry asked.

"Actually, I did. It's Alessa."

Heather didn't notice the way her father went still upon hearing that.

"I got it off the back of her cell phone," she said, oblivious to the shift in Harry's features. "She dropped it while she was running away. Strange thing too, the way she just kept going. I think she was freaked out by the resemblance…"

Heather went on, unaware of Harry's lapse in focus. Finally she noticed that her father didn't seem to be paying attention.

"Dad!"

"Huh?" He was still going over that name in his head. _Alessa…_

"Are you listening to me?" Heather asked, semi-annoyed.

"Uh…yeah," Harry shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. "Sorry, sweetheart. I was…distracted for a moment there. What did you say?"

Heather took a deep breath and exhaled. Patience, she told herself. Patience was the key. She didn't want to lose her temper in front of her father.

"I said she must have been freaked out by the resemblance."

"Wow. It must have been closer than I thought," Harry remarked.

"That's why I've been telling you!" Heather insisted, gesturing wildly with her hands. Harry merely smiled. Another parent might have been annoyed by the girl's tone, but he didn't feel the need to reprove her. He knew she wasn't really angry at him, and besides, Heather looked way too cute when she ranted.

"Wait a minute. Did you say something about her cell phone?" he asked her.

"Yeah, she dropped it in the mall."

"Can I see it?"

Heather handed him the small cellular phone left behind by the object of her wonder. Harry looked over it curiously, noting that the name Alessa was indeed written over the back cover in sparkling marker. The phone didn't activate when he pressed the button.

"Yeah, it's broken," Heather confirmed. Harry looked over it some more before giving it back to her.

"So what are you going to do?" he asked. Heather looked up at him.

"What do you mean, 'what am I going to do'"?

"Aren't you going to find out who this belongs to?"

Heather stared at her dad like he was crazy. "Are you kidding me"?

"Heather, you said it yourself. This is no ordinary girl. Looks like you've got a mystery on your hands," Harry replied.

"Dad, I'm not gonna go to the mall and stalk this girl," Heather said.

"I'm not saying you should do that. All I'm saying is, don't you want to at least look her up on the computer? Find out who she is or something, before just forgetting about the whole thing?"

Heather looked at her father strangely. "If I didn't know any better, I'd swear you almost want me to find her."

"No, of course not," Harry said. Heather raised an eyebrow at him. The older Morris sighed. "What I mean is that I know you, Heather. This is a mystery, and if you don't settle it soon, it's just going to eat away at you. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow. But give it a few more days, and you're going to be wracking your brains trying to figure out who this girl is. That's just who you are, Heather."

He gave her a pointed look. "Do you really want this stuck in your brain like that?"

Heather rolled her eyes. "Yeah, whatever."

"Heather…"

"All right. You really think I should look this girl up?"

"Yes, I think it would be best."

Heather smirked at her dear old dad. "Okay. Then here," she said, handing him the cell phone. "Get to it." Before Harry could respond, she rushed into her room and locked the door with an audible click.

For a few moments Harry just stood there staring at her door. That little…! He laughed despite himself. He should have seen that one coming. Despite generally being open to advice, Heather was sometimes just too stubborn for her own good. He wasn't worried about it, though. His daughter was usually good at solving problems on her own. It might take a while, but sooner or later she would settle on a way to deal with this. That wasn't a concern.

What he was concerned about was the exact identity of this girl that Heather had met. There was something unusual about this situation, and it definitely warranted further investigation on his part. It was another reason why he hoped Heather decided to at least try to meet up with her again.

Because this was not the first time he had heard the name Alessa in his life, and certainly not the first time he had heard it used in context to a mysterious girl with raven black hair.

He had to find out more.


	3. Midnight Ponderings

Disclaimer: You know the drill. Silent Hill and all recognizable characters and settings belong to the dark gods at Konami, who've given us so many great games. Alessa's parents in this AU are mine, but I doubt anyone else would want them. ;)

I know what you're all thinking about this update: it's about damn time! I couldn't agree more. I really lost my way as a writer for a while, but from now on, I'm definitely going to do my best not to let it happen again. Of course, having a beta who tells me to quit slacking off and get to work helps quite a bit. Thanks Lea-Lynn!

Since the first chapter, my plans for this story have grown. Expect to see the Order make its presence known at some point in the story, as well as a cameo appearance by two very beloved SH characters. As for Alessa's situation, it will be fully explained later on in the story.

* * *

Chapter 3 - Midnight Ponderings

It was a quarter past midnight. The lights were out in the spacious home that served as the Summers' residence. Alessa's parents had retired to their room, leaving their daughter to do the same.

Alessa sat on her bed with her legs folded. The lights and the TV were off; she didn't feel like watching or playing anything right now. Unfortunately, she couldn't get to sleep either. Too much was on her mind. So she opted to simply sit there, staring at nothing in particular. She didn't mind the near pitch black darkness – it gave her a chance to think; to focus her thoughts on what was bothering her without any distractions.

She was still thinking about that incident from the afternoon. She had had a conversation with her mother about it, but she had avoided the details. The conversation revolved around Alessa's missing cell phone, which Alessa excused away as leaving it behind in the car. Her mother knew something was wrong, Alessa was sure of it; but she hadn't probed deeper into what happened. Her timidity and evasive attitude showed the other woman something had happened at the mall; at least, Alessa thought so. But if her mother picked up on her nervousness, she kept it quietly to herself. She was content to let Alessa come to her.

Of course, if her mother had gone outside and checked her car anyway despite her wishes, then she already knew Alessa's cell phone was missing. In which case, it wouldn't be long before Alessa heard about it. Still, being grilled about a cell phone was nothing compared to what she would get if she told her parents the truth. Alessa knew she had to tell them, but she was very uncertain as to how to do so. She thought about not telling them entirely, but she knew this was something she needed to clear up.

There was no telling how it would go. Would her parents even believe her? There were only two options, really. Either they would be amazed at the sheer coincidence, or else, they would think their little girl had finally snapped.

Maybe she had. It would certainly be about time, after everything she'd been through.

Alessa frowned to herself. She wasn't crazy and she knew she wasn't imagining things. That unsettling encounter in the mall had really happened, leaving her with a stack of question she wasn't sure she was ready to address. It may have been just a regular person who bore an uncanny resemblance to her, but something told her this person was her double; her other self. She wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly feeling uneasy about the situation. She had done the right thing not telling anyone about what happened, right? She needed time to process and come up with a plan. Besides, this had nothing to do with them. It was _her_ double she encountered, and chances were that it would never happen again. So why did she feel so guilty about the lie? She supposed it was just her conscience bothering her, because she rarely lied to them about anything. She knew she had to tell them, it was just a matter of how. Although even if they doubted her, she knew that she was right. She took comfort in that: in knowing that her senses were still as active as ever.

The cell phone was another issue. Dropping it had been a huge error on her part. All her info was on there, and her parents' numbers too. Their numbers were unlisted for a reason. They also made sure not to advertise the location where they lived. She knew all too well the types of people that were out there loose in the world, many of them hiding under the guise of some benevolent cause.

Was her double one of them? She certainly hoped not, but there was no rule that said your double had to be exactly like you. And then there was Alessa's own past. She had renounced the destructive force in her home town long ago, after it annihilated her life. What if her other self had not?

What if said double picked up her cell phone? Alessa was almost certain she had – it's what she would have done in the exact same situation. Hell, it was what anyone would have done were they confronted with such a bizarre occurrence. On first glance, it seemed like a relatively harmless possibility. But what if it wasn't?

Hell, her name was written on the back of her cell phone. Maybe not her full name, but how common was a name like hers in this city? There couldn't be too many of them. How hard could it be to track her down using her phone number, especially if her double had the access to some helpful sources? With the resources of the Order at her disposal, her alternate could track her down in no time.

But the Order didn't exist in this place…

Did it?

Alessa shook away the paranoid thoughts. Now she was just getting silly. She didn't have a great impression of the girl, but from what she saw, she didn't look like anything more than a normal teen. She'd had some bad luck in her life…very bad luck…but there was no way she could be this unlucky.

Right?

Alessa sighed, lying down sideways on her bed. She was so confused. She didn't know whether to be excited she had met an exact duplicate of herself or terrified at what that duplicate could be. Her father would know. He could look up info on anybody. But Alessa wasn't sure how he would react to this. She had lied to him, after all, just as she lied to her mother.

"God, I'm paranoid," the raven-haired woman muttered. She was making this incredibly huge deal over someone she didn't even know. But was it warranted here?

Alessa tried to focus on the other side of the coin. She was only looking at the negative; the dangers that this person being her alternate could bring. What about the positives?

She assumed that her double was malevolent, or at the very least, not to be trusted. But the opposite could just as easily be true. This…mirror image could turn out to be a lot like her. She could share her values, her goals, her love of books and taste in movies and video games…

…And her hatred of the Order, if it ever existed here.

Alessa stared down at her right arm. The skin was fine now – all nice and healed, if a little pale. It wasn't always so. She remembered a time when it was charred and grotesque, the victim of a despicable crime that should never have been allowed to happen. Not a day went by that she wasn't reminded of it in one form or another. The flicker of the stove lighting up, the mention of a house fire on the news…every time she saw something relating to fire, she remembered the way the flames had ravaged her body.

She had tried to talk to people about it, of course. Nobody ever really understood. How could they? As much as they loved her, the fact remained her parents hadn't experienced what she had. And burn victims usually healed to some degree. They received treatments, came out with some scars, and then they moved on with their lives. They didn't languish in a coma with their skin blackened to a crisp while no one so much as gave them a pain killer.

Her thoughts turned to what the other girl's life might have been like. Had she gotten the same raw deal as her? Alessa wondered. Had she felt the same agony inflicted on her body as the Order put her through one horror after another? And what about her parents? Were they the same on this place, or was it possible she had ended up being raised by someone else?

Were they even alive?

A shudder ran through her as she thought of what it would have been like to end up in Dahlia's care. Her blood almost chilled at the thought. Regardless of whatever happened or didn't happen to her parents on this world, she prayed her double had been lucky enough not to end up in that twisted old hag's supervision. Nobody deserved that type of punishment.

So many questions…and only one way to get the answers for them.

Alessa wasn't a cruel person. She prayed with all of her heart that her double had been able to avoid that hell.

But if she hadn't…

If she hadn't, Alessa realized, then she may have finally found the one person in the world who could truly understand what she'd been through.

Yes, this could be a blessing in disguise. Here she was assuming that her double's appearance had some malevolent purpose to it, when the opposite could just as easily be true. This could be one of the best things that ever happened to her.

Alessa marveled at her sudden change in thinking. How had she gone from dreading what her double represented to wanting to meet her in the span of a few minutes? Yet she could not deny that it was true. She wanted to meet this girl, more than she had ever wanted to meet anyone before.

There was just one thing she had to do first.

Alessa stood up from the bed and headed for her parents' room. She knew she had to tell them what happened, without wasting any more time. It was the only way to clear her mind and allow her to get some sleep tonight. And perhaps in the morning, they could give her some advice on what to do, because she sure didn't know how to go about tracking down this girl. Yet it was something she wanted to do. She was sure of it now.

* * *

It was a quarter past midnight. The lights were out at the modest apartment that Harry and Heather Morris called home. Both Harry and his daughter had gone to bed for the evening. Being considerably older in age, Harry surrendered quickly to the day's exhaustion and was enjoying a peaceful, dreamless slumber.

Heather was not. She tossed and turned on her bed, trying repeatedly to settle into a comfortable position. It was no use – something was off tonight. The bed that was usually so comfy felt hard and lumpy, as if the mattress springs were poking into her back. She rolled to the side again, only to swear an annoyed curse when her hand met the wall on her right.

When Heather and her father first moved into this apartment, Harry offered to let his daughter have the larger bedroom. Harry knew that his little girl was growing up and would soon need her space as she entered the age of adolescence. To his surprise, Heather would have none of it. Harry tried several times to convince her to take the larger room, but Heather refused each and every time.

At the time, she thought nothing of it. Her dad worked so hard to make sure she had a decent life; he deserved to have the bigger room. But every so often, on nights like this, she sometimes wished she had just taken the large room when she had the chance. Maybe then she wouldn't feel so confined in her own bed.

She knew of course, that the problem wasn't her room. It wasn't with her bed either. No, the problem was with her.

She had tried everything to take her mind off what happened that morning at the mall. Watching TV, reading, playing some board games with her dad; she even tried going out with him for ice cream. Nothing worked. No matter what she did, she just couldn't get over the embarrassing incident with that mysterious girl.

And it _was_ embarrassing. Why did she have to do the first thing that came to mind like that? She must have looked like a psycho to the other girl; like some stalker looking to kidnap their unknowing victim. God, what was wrong with her? Once again, she'd let her stubbornness get in the way of her better judgment.

She'd tried looking up the girl online. Contrary to what she'd told her father, Heather wasn't that averse to the idea of finding this 'Alessa'. If it were anyone else she would have just forgotten about the incident and be done with it, but a person who looked just like her? And who sparked some kind of instinct inside her? This was just too interesting to pass up. She hadn't gone far, though. The early results weren't encouraging, but Heather knew she could find this person given enough time. Yet for some reason she didn't understand, she was also a little hesitant to do so. It boggled her, that she could be so intrigued by this mystery girl, yet at the same time, be the slightest bit reluctant to find her.

Heather wondered why she was taking an interest in this girl. What was the connection there? And there was a connection here, she was sure of it. The only question was what.

Again shifting positions on the bed, she turned her thoughts to the mysterious beauty's name, so elegant in its simplicity. Alessa…what a pretty name, she thought. It was simple and understated, but exquisite; not at all plain. She wished she had a name like that, as opposed to the more forgettable one she had chosen years prior.

"Alessa," Heather whispered aloud. She had never heard it before, and yet the name rolled off the tip of her tongue with surprising familiarity. She almost didn't care about the girl's last name. Something about that first name, Alessa, sparked a vague feeling in Heather's mind that she couldn't quite pinpoint.

What was her life like? The curious brunette wondered. Where did she live? What was she like? What about her family? Did she have both a mom and a dad, or just one caring father like Heather? For that matter, did she even live with her parents, or was she taken care of by another family member?

Most perplexing of all, why did she look so much like her?

Heather sighed. She knew what she had to do. There was so much she didn't know, so much she wanted to know, and only one way to find out.

There was just one thing she had to do first.

Heather got up off her bed and headed for her father's room. This late at night, she was sure she would be disturbing him. Then again, it was Harry who often told her not to hesitate to come to him when she had a problem. They had learned that lesson well early on in Heather's high school years.

The younger Morris didn't bother knocking on the door before she opened it. One of the benefits of having a father who never dated was that Heather never had to worry about Harry bringing home any _friends_, which meant she never had to fear interrupting something private at times like this.

"Dad?" Heather called out softly. Harry was sound asleep, snoring softly into his pillow. He didn't stir, so Heather tried again, much louder this time.

"Dad!"

This one did the trick. Harry startled awake almost immediately, grumbling to himself as he realized what, or rather who, had woken him.

"Heather?" Harry mumbled, squinting at her blurry features. He took a look at the clock on the nightstand. "It's one a.m."

"I know, Dad. I need to talk to you."

"Can't it wait?" Harry asked, tiredly rubbing his eyes.

"Dad, it's important," Heather insisted. As he expected, Harry stared at her for a moment before his face softened.

"Okay. Come here," he said, patting a spot next to him on the bed.

Harry sat up and straightened himself as Heather took a seat next to him. The young woman briefly felt her face warm as she caught sight of Harry's muscular chest with only a hint of excess weight. For a fifty year old guy, Harry wasn't in bad shape. He rarely wore much to bed, just a pair of boxer shorts and a thin undershirt sometimes. He had foregone the latter tonight, leaving Heather with a close up view of his bare torso.

Heather didn't mind – she wasn't one of those teenagers who fretted about their parents' physical appearance. Her father was a handsome man and she was quite willing to acknowledge that, albeit with the occasional blush. The only thing was, it did make her wonder about her father's reluctance to date. It wasn't like she was eight years old anymore, she was nineteen and perfectly capable of taking care of herself. Why was he so afraid to approach women when he had such good looks? It had to be more than simple shyness.

"So, what do you have to tell me?" Harry asked his daughter.

"Okay," Heather began leisurely. "I did some thinking and I realized that you were right. This afternoon I mean, when we talked about what happened at the mall."

Harry's interest suddenly peaked. "Really?"

"Yeah. I realized that you were right, I am interested in meeting this girl. There's something there I'm not quite sure of, and I want to know more about what it is."

"I'm glad you realize that," Harry nodded. "Is there anything else?"

"Yeah. I, uh, I'm sorry for being so stubborn earlier. I was just weirded out by what happened," Heather said.

"It's okay. Who wouldn't be?" Harry replied, softly patting her shoulder. "Besides, you weren't really stubborn. Just a little…persistent."

"Oh, is that what you call it?"

"Yep. My persistent, thick-headed little girl," Harry stated.

"Gee, thanks Dad," Heather answered sarcastically, though she had to smile at that.

"What are you going to do?" Harry asked, referring to Alessa.

Heather shrugged. "I'll figure it out later. Right now, I just want to get some sleep."

"Okay. Goodnight Heather," Harry gave his daughter a warm hug.

"Goodnight Dad," Heather said back, thankful to have such a caring person in her life.

With Heather gone back to her own room, Harry tried to settle back into a state of unconsciousness. For a while he simply lay there with his eyes open, staring at the bedroom door. Heather was a good kid. She was smart and kind and generous, with a bit of a sharp tongue that made for some very amusing moments at times. When Harry's wife passed away sixteen years ago, he wasn't sure he was up to the challenge of raising a child by himself, especially a daughter. Yet he had to admit, Heather had turned out pretty well.

If only Jodie had been there to see it…

Suddenly, for some reason he couldn't quite explain, he found himself wishing he had chosen not to isolate himself for Heather's sake. He may have done an adequate job of proving his daughter with the love and support she needed, but there was no denying Heather could have used a mother in her life. Someone to hold her and love her the way only a mother could. As close as he and Heather were, there were some things a father and daughter just couldn't talk about as openly as a girl could with her mother.

Jodie wouldn't have wanted him to cling to the past. She would have wanted him to move on with his life, to find happiness not in spite of Heather, but because of her. So why hadn't he?

But even as he pondered that question, he already knew the answer.

Because of Heather.

Everything he did was in Heather's best interests. Her safety and well-being came first, even at the expense of his personal life. That was what a father did, and Harry considered himself to be a good one.

Smart, kind, generous…those were some of the terms he thought of to describe his precious little girl. And yet, he could not help but wonder. How would she react if she ever uncovered some of the things he had kept from her? He knew she would be shocked. The real question was, would she be thankful for everything Harry had done for her, or would she be angry and resentful that her father kept such an important secret from her? Harry preferred to think it would be the former, but he couldn't rule out the latter possibility.

_That_ scared him more than anything. And as he lay back against his pillow, trying to drift back into sleep, Harry Morris couldn't help but wish he had someone else to share this burden with.

Miles apart from each other, two teenage girls laid asleep on their beds, deep in blissful slumber. Their rest was a dreamless one, their subconscious minds too anxious about the day's events to yield to the illusions that came so naturally. Neither had any idea how much their lives were about to change.


	4. Morning Rendezvous

Disclaimer: Konami owns everyone and everything from Silent Hill. Any original characters in the story are mine. Mine I tell you! ;)

Sorry for the extremely looooong delay, guys! I apologize a hundred times for making you wait so long for an update to this story. Suffice to say it's really not easy handling multiple stories at once, especially when Darth Real Life gets in the way. I do have something I want to say, and that is that I've decided to ignore the few detractors who've taken shots at this story. Constructive criticism is always welcome, but I won't allow myself to get discouraged based on a few remarks by people who aren't even fans of Heather or Alessa. If I choose to go back and revise things occasionally, it's my decision alone. This is my story and I will write it the way I want to.

I've worked hard on this chapter, so I hope you guys enjoy it. Please read and review!

* * *

Chapter 4 – Morning Rendezvous

The next day, Alessa had one goal in mind. After doing some more thinking about her double, she had eventually managed to fall asleep for a few hours. Even then, her dreams were filled with bizarre images she had never seen before; vague flashes of what her alternate's life might have been like so far. Thoughts of that short-haired girl simply would not leave her mind.

When she woke up that morning, Alessa already knew what to do. She had to talk to that girl. Somehow, she had to meet face to face with her again. And since she didn't know her double's name or address, or her phone number, there was only one way to do it. Her mind flashed to the conversation she had that morning with her parents.

"_Sure you don't want me to come with you?" the blonde haired man asked his daughter. _

_They were sitting at the breakfast table, and Alessa had already decided what she was going to do today. _

"_No, that's okay," Alessa replied. _

_She was going to the mall. With no other alternatives, it was her best bet to run into her double again. It was a long-shot, she knew, yet something told her it wouldn't be a waste of time. It was a gut feeling; one which told her that should she be in the right place at the right time, she would have a second chance to meet up with her alternate. _

_Her mother wasn't so certain. Though she understood Alessa wanting to learn more about her double, she couldn't help but worry about her daughter going off alone. While there was a mystery to solve, was it worth the risk? What did they even know about that girl? Alessa understood her concerns, but she couldn't let that interfere with her mission._

_Her dad wasn't too fond of the idea either. One of them should be going with her. Alessa thought that was what her dad was thinking. But she didn't let it bother her. She knew how to defend herself; if the threat was too much, aim for the kill point. Run away as far as you can first, but if they grab you, you have to take them down as quickly as possible. Don't give them a chance to take you. She didn't anticipate having any such trouble with this teenage girl, but if she did turn out to be one of those religions freaks and her buddies accosted her, she wouldn't hesitate to kill them openly in plain view. Not forgetting, she would make sure the situation couldn't be pinned on her in a negative light._

_She had a knife hidden on her person, easily accessible in case of an emergency. Always be prepared. _

"_Are you sure?" she asked her daughter yet again. "Because you know, I could come with you if you like."_

"_Mom, I want her to like me, not scare her off," Alessa quipped. Her smile faded when the other woman's eyes didn't smile back. She placed her hand on the brunette's arm in a reassuring manner. _

"_I'll be fine, Mom." _

"_Well, just make sure to call us when you get there," her mother said. "And call us if anything happens. _

"_I will," Alessa nodded. _

"_Oh, and don't forget – take your stun gun," her dad told her. _

"_Dad!"_

"_I'm serious. If you get it in a fight, at least this way you can stun her," he smiled at her, though his joke didn't belie his serious demeanor. _

"_And aim low. It'll be more painful that way," her mother added with a slight grin. _

_Alessa shook her head. "You're sick. Besides, I don't intend on getting into a fist fight in the middle of a shopping mall." She didn't tell them she had already planned for that, and that she wouldn't be fighting anyone with her fists; rather, they would get their throat slashed, if the situation warranted it. _

_Okay, so maybe she would go for a leg stab first, or a warning slash across the wrist. She wasn't trying to be all bad ass, and acting rashly could get you in real trouble in real life. But if they did press the issue, she would be able to kill them. She had done it before. _

_It was a moot point, though, since anybody trying something in the middle of the mall was a very unlikely possibility. Most likely. There were some people crazy enough to try it, and security guards couldn't always get there on time. That was what the weapon was for. _

_"You never know," he shrugged. "She could turn out to be a psycho."_

_"She's a teenage girl," Alessa reminded him. _

_"Exactly my point."_

_Alessa narrowed her eyes at the smug look on his face, but she knew it was all in jest. Well, maybe not _all_ in jest. They were a little worried about her, that much was clear. _

_She settled for a slight roll of the eyes. "I'll be careful, I promise." She gave each of them a kiss before heading off on her self-appointed mission for the day. _

Barely half an hour later, she was at the mall. Alessa always enjoyed the feeling she got when she entered the Ashfield Hills Galleria. She breathed in the cool, regulated air, taking a few moments to envelop herself in the familiar environment. She pulled out her cell phone and dialed her home number.

She had another cell phone, one borrowed from her mother – with the strict understanding that if she lost this one, there was going to be hell to pay.

"Hello?" her mother answered after a few seconds.

"This is Snake. I'm inside the Ashfield Hills shopping center" Alessa said in a low, gravely voice, mimicking a character from one of the video games in her collection.

It took a second for the other woman to respond. "Any sign of the target?" She asked, playing right along once she realized it was her daughter.

Alessa smiled when she heard the mirth in her mother's voice. "Nothing yet so far."

"What's the visibility?"

"There's not many people around. It should be a lot easier to find the target if she's around." Alessa grinned to herself.

"Just make sure you're ready for me in case we have to extricate her from the premises," she said in her 'spy' voice.

"I _always_ am, hon," her mother replied, in an excessively sultry tone.

Alessa held a straight face for three seconds before the laughter started to force its way out. Soon both she and the other woman were chuckling in mutual amusement over the moment of silliness.

Not many people would joke around like this with a parent, especially in such a serious situation. After all, she was on the trail of someone who could turn out to be potentially dangerous. For Alessa however, there simply was no other option. When your life consisted of so many horrible events within such a short frame of time, you had to make light of things to cope with situations, be they traumatic or merely unexpected. She had to make fun of herself and the circumstances around her. Otherwise, she would go insane every time something happened that was remotely traumatic. And what could be more traumatic than meeting your literal double in the place that you least expected?

In this case, it meant using humor to mask the very real worries lurking at the back of her mind. She held no illusions as to how easily the hopes she harbored for this meeting could be shattered. She went with the intent of solving a mystery, and perhaps learning a bit more about herself. Instead she could come out with an enemy at her back and a whole new set of problems to deal with.

Her mother understood that too, which was why she played with the admittedly silly game. Besides, they loved to banter. If there was one thing the two of them shared in common, it was their love of light and pleasant conversation. Having grown up in a household where everything was morose and grim, and she rarely conversed with her mother, the older woman relished the opportunity to talk like this with her daughter.

"Okay, in all seriousness, what are you going to do?" she asked Alessa, once the chuckles died down.

"Well, I brought a couple books with me," Alessa said, briefly reaching for the knapsack she brought with her. "I figure I'll just go to the bench we were at yesterday and see if she shows up."

"And you really think that'll work?"

"I don't know. But what's the alternative? Wander aimlessly around the mall for three hours on the chance I might spot her?"

"I see your point," her mother conceded reluctantly.

"Besides, I have a feeling about this," Alessa said.

A sigh was audible on the other end. "Okay, I get it. If your gut's telling you to be there, then you should be there. The truth is I do trust your instincts."

"Thanks, Mom."

"Just promise me you won't stay there all day waiting for her if she doesn't show up. Okay?"

"Okay,"

"And promise me you'll eat something while you're there. Got it?" the other said sternly.

Alessa groaned to herself. "Yes, Mother."

"Good. I'll see you later. Love you."

"I love you too. Bye."

Alessa clipped the phone back onto her belt. Now that that was settled, she had a doppelganger to search for.

* * *

The clacks of Heather's leather boots echoed off the floor as she set foot inside the Ashfield Hills mall. Unbeknownst to her, she had entered through a door opposite the one her double had. Just like the person she sought, Heather was on a mission. There was only one thing on her mind: she had to find the girl she encountered yesterday in that mall.

After her little talk with Harry, Heather was able to get to sleep just barely. However, her dreams were far from peaceful. They were filled with vague images that Heather couldn't discern; bizarre sequences of events that were completely foreign to her.

Some of them were not at all unpleasant. Others were downright disturbing. The visions faded when Heather woke up, though she still had the faintest recollection of them. Heather wasn't one to believe in any of that mystical crap some people spouted about dreams, so there was only one logical explanation: deep inside, she really wanted to know what the other girl's life was like, good or bad.

She recalled the conversation she had that morning with her father. Harry had been incredulous when she told him she was going to the mall to look for the girl she stumbled across the day before.

"_Are you kidding me?" Harry Morris asked his daughter in disbelief. _

_"I think it sounds like a good idea," Heather shrugged. A slight smile graced her lips. She should have known her father would react like this. _

_"It sounds like a stupid one," Harry couldn't stop himself from blurting out. _

_"Oh come on, Dad! What other option is there?" Heather exclaimed. _

_"Why don't you just let it go?" Harry said in an odd tone of voice. _

_Heather gave him an incredulous glance. "Are you kidding me? I meet a girl who looks almost exactly like me, I scare her into running out of the shopping mall, I end up with her cell phone in my back pocket…and you want me to let it go? Forget it!"_

"_Heather –" Harry tried to interject. _

"_Dad, I'm not going to let it go! No way," Heather stated adamantly. _

_This was too important to her. Yes, she knew her idea sounded ridiculous. But what else was she supposed to do? Besides, she had a feeling about this. Something told her that despite how silly it sounded at first, this idea would work if only she was in that mall at the right time. Heather didn't necessarily believe in the concept of psychic intuition, but she had learned to trust those feelings when they occurred. They never led her wrong, and so, she would follow them in this situation too. _

"_Why don't you just look her up in the phone book?" Harry inquired. _

"_I tried that already. She's not listed," Heather replied. _

_Harry breathed a deep sigh. He didn't like this idea. Not at all. Heather could tell that he was doubtful about this whole thing. Which seemed strange considering his prior advice that prior afternoon._

"_What's wrong with you, anyway? Last night you were telling me I should look her up further, and that it might be worth my time to find out who she was. What made you change your mind?" Heather asked him. _

_The older man frowned. "Let's just say I thought about it more, and I realized how dangerous it could be for you," Harry gave a wary look at the teenager. "I don't want you to take the risk."_

"_Dad, I'll be fine," Heather assured him. "It's a mall; I'm just going to check up on this, and I know how to defend myself." _

_"I know. But I still don't want you to go," Harry said._

_"So what if I run into her again in some other area? I'm just supposed to ignore it like nothing happened?" Heather questioned._

_Her dad gave no answer. Heather threw her hands up in frustration and sighed loudly._

"_Dad, I'm not a little kid anymore. If someone tries something, I'll kick them where it hurts, and knock them out," Heather smiled, hoping to lighten the mood. But her father wasn't convinced._

"_I still don't know about this," Harry said._

"_Dad, what could possibly happen? I'll be fine. Weren't you the one telling me I need to make more friends? Well, here's a golden opportunity. And if it turns out it's just all a coincidence, I'll be able to get some shopping done while I'm there. And imagine how distracted I'll be if I don't get this settled now. I'll be walking around the house in a daze, not thinking of anything else. It'll just be sitting there in my mind, bothering me that I don't know whether this is anything significant," Heather said, listing all the possible benefits and side-effects._

_Harry uttered a frustrated groan. "Fine. You can go and wait for this girl. I won't stand in your way."_

_Heather smiled. She knew her father would come around. "Thanks, Dad." _

_"Sure you don't want me to go with you?"_

_"No, that's okay. I'll be all right by myself," Heather stated._

_"You sure?" Harry tried one more time._

_"Dad, I want to meet her, not scare her off," Heather replied. She was just kidding, but Harry didn't smile back. He was genuinely worried about her. _

_"Dad, I'll be fine. Trust me. I'm not eight years old anymore, you know," Heather said. _

_"I know," Harry sighed. "It was so much easier when you were."_

"_Yeah, for you, maybe," Heather scoffed. She looked down at her watch, more for show than actually wanting to know what time it was. "I better get going."_

"_At least take your stun gun with you," Harry suggested. _

"_Dad!" _

"_I'm serious. You never know when you might need it." _

"_Dad, I'm not going to fight her in the middle of the mall or anything like that," Heather said. _

"_You don't know that. She could be dangerous," Harry said, only half-joking. _

"_Please. Dad, she's a teenage girl."_

"_Don't think I haven't taking that into account," Harry quipped. Heather groaned to herself, causing Harry to give a slight smile at his daughter's stubbornness. _

"_Just take the stun gun, okay?"_

"_Argh! Fine," Heather roll her eyes in annoyance. Her father was such a worrywart! "I'll take the stun gun. You happy?"_

"_No, but I know I can't change your mind about going," Harry declared honestly. His daughter placed a reassuring hand on his arm. _

"_I'll be careful, Dad. I promise." _

_Harry only nodded silently. After giving him a kiss on the cheek, Heather retrieved her stun gun and a small knapsack from her room, and set off on her private little assignment for the day. _

So here she was, stun gun and all, looking for a strange girl who could almost be her long-lost twin. Pulling out her cell phone, she dialed home to give her father the update she knew he was waiting for.

"Hello?" Harry's voice answered.

"Heather's House of Spuds, Heather speaking," Heather said cheerily.

"Heather?"

"I'm sorry, sir, did you order something from us today?" Heather asked sweetly. "We have an order here for seven pounds of mashed potatoes, two coleslaws, and something called ketchup gravy. Eugh."

"Very funny," Harry scoffed.

"Hey Dad," Heather smiled to herself. "I'm here at the mall. No sign of Alessa yet, but I only just got here."

"Okay." There was a pause. "Heather, remember what I told you."

"Dad," Heather protested. _And so it begins._

"I know, I know. We've gone through this before. But Heather, I'm your father. It's my job to look after you," Harry stated.

"Dad, I said I would be fine. You can trust me," Heather insisted.

"That depends on what you mean by trust. I trust you to call for help if you need it. But do I trust you not to sit there all day waiting for someone who probably won't show up? That's a different story," Harry countered.

"Dad, I'm not stupid. I know what I'm doing."

"Which is why you're at the mall on a Wednesday morning looking for someone who's a complete stranger?" Harry inquired sharply.

Heather didn't respond. She felt the stirrings of great annoyance beginning to tug at her conscience. Why did her father have to be so damn overprotective? It wasn't like she was a baby who needed to be held by the hand. She was a woman! A nineteen year old woman who knew perfectly well how to defend herself. She didn't need her Daddy coddling her, especially over something as silly as this.

Harry sighed, sensing his daughter's frustration. "I didn't say you were stupid, Heather. I just think you're being a little…naïve about this whole thing. Maybe it would be best if you just leave it alone."

There it was again – that same suggestion from before. If Heather didn't know any better, she would swear her dad knew something he wasn't telling her about. She spoke in carefully measured tones.

"Dad, I know that you worry about me. A little too much in my opinion. But you have to accept the fact that I'm not a little kid anymore. I know what I'm doing and I wouldn't be here unless I had a really good feeling about this."

Harry was silent on the other end.

"Dad, please. Trust me. I know how to take care of myself," Heather pleaded.

There was a long pause. Just when Heather was beginning to worry, Harry replied, "Alright. I understand. And you're right. You're not a kid anymore. I can't hold you hand all the time like I used to. I guess I should learn to just trust your instincts, even if they seem a little odd at times."

Heather's lips changed into a wide grin. "Thanks, Dad," she said, with genuine appreciation in her voice.

"No problem. Just promise me you won't stay there all day if she doesn't show, okay?"

Heather groaned, but she knew not to argue. "Okay, Dad."

"Oh, and one more thing."

"What?" Heather asked suspiciously.

"Promise me you'll bring me a sundae?" Harry asked.

Heather smiled. "Sure thing, Dad. The usual?"

"You bet. I live for chocolate syrup," Harry said.

Heather let out a chuckle. "Got it. I'll see you later."

"Take care. I love you."

"I love you too, Dad."

Heather shoved the phone back into her backpack. She shook her head at the conversation she just had. She loved her father more than anything, but boy could he be a handful. Heather only hoped she found Alessa soon, and that she turned out to be a decent girl who just happened to look a lot like her. It was quite probably the only thing that would convince Harry there was nothing to worry about.

She frowned at that. Was there really any chance Alessa was just a normal girl with an uncanny resemblance to her? Somehow Heather didn't think so. There was something odd going on here. Alessa's resemblance to her was too strong to be a coincidence. And if that were the case, then why wouldn't that strange feeling Heather had about disappear? As much as Heather hated to admit it, she already knew with certainty this wasn't a coincidence.

She wondered if Alessa was having the same questions about her. For some reason she wasn't quite sure of, that didn't seem likely, especially given the urgency with which the girl rushed out of there.

Something told her Alessa wouldn't be faced with the same questions. She didn't need to be, because she already knew. Somehow, she'd figured it out in those brief moments they shared. Another person might have missed it, but Heather always had a sort of sixth sense about such things, and she could sense the hints of awareness in the other girl's actions. Just because she was skeptical about the supernatural didn't mean she wasn't able to read other people.

Heather began walking. There was no use in just standing around. She had to find that other girl. This mystery had been burning in Heather's brain for an entire day and she wasn't one to take things idly when something went unresolved.

She bypassed the few people browsing around the mall at this hour without so much as a glance at anyone who didn't have long dark hair. Under normal circumstances, she too would be browsing and window shopping. But that wasn't a priority now. She couldn't afford to have Alessa pass by her unnoticed because she was too busy staring at something in a display.

Her steps were firm and confident as she headed towards the place where she last seen Alessa. Finally she reached the benches outside the Happy Burger…

…and promptly stopped short as she noticed a very familiar head of long raven black hair.

Alessa strolled assertively towards her destination in the mall. There weren't many other people in the mall at this early hour, just a few eager shoppers trying to avoid the later crowds; perhaps a few others simply lounging around the stores out of nothing better to do. Alessa barely paid them any mind unless they matched her double's basic profile. She couldn't permit herself to get distracted and let the girl pass her by unnoticed.

Her path led her to the area just outside the Happy Burger fast food restaurant. And when she reached the benches where the fateful argument had taken place, Alessa's eyes widened as she spotted a hauntingly familiar girl with short midnight black hair exactly like her own. Alessa locked eyes with the girl as they stared at each other across the mall with equal amounts of shock and fascination.

She had found her other self at last.


	5. The Mystery Deepens

Disclaimer: Konami owns Silent Hill. Heather and Alessa belong to them, along with any recognizable characters. I own all original characters. I make no money of off this fic.

AN: Well, it's been a long time, hasn't it? ;D Three years, in fact. I want to thank everyone who's reviewed this story, especially everyone who's reviewed recently, and those who have kept this story on their f-list for being patient. I've edited all the previous chapters to put more mystery on Alessa, for those new to the fic, and I think I've gotten it to a point where I'm perfectly satisfied with them. Now I'm ready to move forward. No more waiting a long time between updates. I've also gotten a few new ideas from certain horror movies, so you may see some hints about what's been going in the background in this AU world I've created, depending on where the story takes me. This is mainly a filler chapter, to lead into more substantial story points, but I think there are a few interesting things here in terms of the girls' personalities. As for Alessa's choice in TV shows, I think she'd enjoy a show about like this about lighter things, and average dramas, compared to the stuff she's had to deal with. ;D

I hope you enjoy the chapter, despite it not being the epic update that it probably should be after such a long lapse. ;)

* * *

Chapter 5 – The Mystery Deepens

The two girls stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Neither one moved an inch in the slightest direction. A few random shoppers stared at them curiously as they passed by, wondering what the story was behind the standoff in the center of the mall. To any of those strangers, it must have looked like a pair of twin sisters was having a glaring contest over some inane teenage argument.

Alessa was at a loss on how to react. What was she supposed to do for a momentous occasion like this? She half expected a shock of thunder to punctuate the earth-shattering scenario, she thought wryly. How often did someone meet their double in real life?

Heather was experiencing a similar problem. It was eerie how much Alessa looked like her. Had she still worn her hair long, the freckles on her face would have been the only difference between them. Once again, she wondered whom and what Alessa was exactly. Just what was the connection between them?

The silence carried on for a minute longer, until neither girl felt compelled to let it linger any longer. If they stayed there gawking at each other like that, they would be there all day. Someone had to break the stillness. Alessa chose to be that person. So did Heather.

"Who are you?" was the statement that echoed simultaneously. The girls stared at each other, taken aback at being perfectly in-sync, before trying once again.

"I'm sorry!" Heather and Alessa blurted out in unison. They stared bemused at one another for a brief moment, before they both broke down in laughter.

"I'm sorry, I just had to say something," Alessa said.

"No, I'm sorry. I came here looking to see if I could you, and when I saw you, I just…"

"I understand. Believe me, I understand," Alessa said, though the tone belied the emotions she felt upon seeing this 'other her' with her own eyes.

There was something almost predatory in the way Heather and Alessa circled each other, staring with ill-disguised wonder. They couldn't deny the tension that existed there, despite the brief moment of humor. This was a unique situation, and there were no ordinary circumstances in meeting someone who looked exactly like you, no matter the setting.

"I knew I'd find you here," Alessa said. "I sensed somehow that you'd come back here looking for me."

"Very astute. My dad didn't believe me when my when I said you'd be here," Heather said. She stared at Alessa with sharpened eyes, giving her a faint mixture of satisfaction and amusement at being proved right.

"Of course, you wouldn't have had to search for me if you had just remained here while we first met," Heather remarked, subtly smirking at her 'other self'.

Alessa winced; she'd certainly overreacted on that one.

"I'm sorry. I…"

She trailed off. What did one say when they were in this situation? Bad enough that this was her duplicate, but she wasn't particularly good at dealing with new people, period.

Alessa held in a swear word of frustration. Damn it, this wasn't going at all like she planned. She was supposed to take charge of the situation, not let the other person lead her around like this.

"It's okay," Heather waved it off. "I understand."

"So, are you sorry you tracked me down? Or are you sorry you stared at me like a weirdo for 5 minutes?" Heather asked wryly. Alessa chuckled to herself, though she shifted a bit uncomfortably.

"No, I mean…I shouldn't have run off like that. I should have given you a chance to explain who you were.

"It's okay. It's not like I was subtle; I followed you around like a stalker," Heather said. "I would have been creeped out too."

Shrug. "Still, I should have just stopped and listened. You can't believe how much I've wondered about you over the past day," Alessa told her.

"Oh, I think I can," Heather said slyly.

"What's your name?" Alessa asked.

"Heather. Heather Morris."

"Alessa Summers. Glad to meet you," Alesssa stuck out her hand, which Heather took quite gladly. They were startled at the tingle that went through them as they made skin-to-skin contact, though neither felt brave enough to bring it up. Not yet, at least.

"Heather, I'm sorry about before. I overreacted. The truth is…I was just shocked when I saw you. I didn't know how to deal with it. I just needed to get out of there."

"And that running bit was the best you could come up with?" Heather inquired, amused.

"It's an effective response for getting away from someone you don't like," Alessa said wryly.

"Or someone who scares the hell out of you?" Heather asked, with one raised eyebrow.

"Exactly," Alessa responded.

"Hey, I don't blame you. I wouldn't want some strange stalker following me around either," Heather said with a shrug.

Alessa and Heather stared at one another's features, entranced once again by their undeniable similarities. It was almost like looking into a mirror, Alessa reflected, gazing with unabashed curiosity at her alternate. They circled each other slowly, looking like a pair of predators circling each other for a kill. The whole scene must have been rather comical, though neither girl could care less. Their focus was squarely on the situation at hand.

"There's quite a large resemblance we have here," Heather remarked. Alessa could only nod.

"Of course, there's one notable difference between us," Heather said. Alessa raised her eyebrows in inquiry. Heather nodded with her chin at Alessa's form. Alessa looked down…and then she realized what Heather was getting at. There was one part of her body that was noticeably different from her double's: Alessa's chest was clearly larger than Heather's.

"Oh," Alessa said, suddenly feeling self-conscious. She wrapped her arms around her chest, trying not to make it too obvious she was embarrassed about her…endowments.

"Hey, don't sweat it, I was just pointing out something," Heather said. She didn't want to embarrass Alessa, it was just impossible for her not to notice that one little detail about their appearance.

"Okay," Alessa shifted from toe to toe. God, this was awkward. She had been so excited about tracking down her double today, so eager to talk to this mysterious young woman, it hadn't occurred to her just how awkward the whole thing would be. How did one talk to a person who was a literal carbon copy of you?

And then there was the creepiness factor. She had to admit, there was something disconcerting in talking to someone who was like into your own reflection in the mirror. Not to mention, the really important question that lingered in her mind. Could she really trust Heather?

"You uh…you want to sit somewhere and talk? Maybe get something to eat?" Heather asked.

Alessa hesitated. "Uh…sure, why not?"

"Great! Oh yeah, before I forget," Heather reached into her backpack and pulled out a familiar silver and black object.

"My cell phone?"

"Yeah. You dropped it yesterday when you were running away," Heather explained.

"I know. I just wasn't sure whether you had it or not."

"Well," Heather smiled, "I thought it might give me a hint about who you were."

Alessa took the proffered phone. She found to her chagrin, the phone refused to turn on.

"I was wondering whether you'd go through my stuff," she muttered.

"Sorry," Heather gave her a sheepish look.

"Ah, it's my own fault for leaving it here," Alessa waved it off. "At least you didn't go through my contact list. Did you?" she asked with a suspicious tone.

Heather shook her head. "No."

"Good," Alessa breathed a sigh of relief. "I was kinda worried about some sick deranged being tracking me down and showing up at my house."

"No, I'm just your run-of-the-mill deranged being," Heather remarked with a smirk. She gestured in the direction of the food court. "You want to…"

"Oh sure."

* * *

They wanted to order some pizza, but it was too early in the morning. They settled for talking in the food court while they waited for the stand to open.

"So what do you do?" Alessa asked her new friend.

"Um, I'm a student actually. Or rather, I'm supposed to be. I decided to take a year off before going to college. What about you?"

"Oh, me too. I needed a break after school. High school was hell," Alessa replied.

"Tell me about it. So you're just taking some time off?"

"Yeah. Right now I'm just taking it easy."

"So, uh, you live by yourself?"

"No, I live with my dad. We share an apartment together," Heather replied. "You?"

"I live with my parents," Alessa responded. That caught Heather's attention. She didn't have _parents_; she'd never had them in the plural sense of the word. She sometimes wondered what it would like to have a mother in her life; someone she could talk besides her father about things.

"What are they like?"

"Oh, they're nice. They're very open and understanding. They're not trying to get me out of the house like other parents would. My dad's a little crazy, but he's really a nice person."

"Yeah, mine too. You wouldn't believe how overprotective he can get," Heather sympathized.

Alessa wondered how much protest Heather's father put toward this meeting. Probably a lot, if he was anything like her parents.

"So where do you live?" Heather asked.

"Um…around the northeast area, in the Chasedale section of the city," Alessa replied, a bit uncertainly.

"I've heard of that place. Pretty upscale neighborhood," Heather said, with an eyebrow raised in inquiry.

"Yeah well, my dad has some money, and… well, it's a nice place to live," Alessa defended.

"Hey, I'm not arguing. I was just saying," Heather raised her hands.

"Sorry," Alessa said, feeling a bit embarrassed. "It's just that when I tell someone where I live, who isn't part of a certain social circle, they usually have a negative reaction, if you know what I mean. I don't like being judged simply because of where I choose to live," she elaborated, feeling the need to explain herself further.

"I know what you mean," Heather stated.

"Really?"

"Mm-hmm. I live in the west part of the city, in the Bergen Street section of the area."

"Ah," Alessa nodded in understanding.

"Yeah, it's not exactly an ideal neighborhood, is it?" Heather smirked. "But it's really not that bad. I mean, the worst stuff happens more than a few streets up from where I live. Just because we had some bad things happen, people have a bad impression of it. And then they take pity on you when you tell them you're from there. I'm not a charity case just because we can't afford to live someplace better, and I'm not some rebellious teen punk either," Heather declared intensely, the slight anger showing in her attitude. But then she calmed down, realizing what she was doing.

Alessa admired Heather for her stance. It wasn't nice to be judged on your appearance or your background, solely, rather than who you were as a person. And she had a feeling Heather had been judged a lot. She wouldn't have had that reaction if she hadn't.

"How long have you lived here? In Central City, I mean."

"A long time. About 10 years, I think," Heather responded. "We haven't always lived at that apartment, though. What about you?"

"About five years. We moved into that house in the fall of 2000." Technically it wasn't a lie. Her father had lived in there for several months before that time frame, and when they were finally together after several years, he brought her with him. Alessa wasn't really consulted on the decision, but then, it wasn't like she had an option on where to live. She went where her dad went, even if it was a weird place she never would have considered living in before – it was as simple as that.

"You like it?"

"It has it perks. I don't have to worry about crime or break-ins. And the house isn't bad either," Alessa answered.

_Yeah, I'll bet_, Heather thought with some sarcasm, though she tried to keep it reigned in.

"I had a hard time getting here actually. Dad wasn't exactly sure this was a good idea," Alessa commented.

"Mine too. You wouldn't believe the amount of protest my dad put up for this. Did your folks try to convince you not to come?"

"Are you kidding? They spent a while hour trying to convince me not to do it, or at least to take one of them with me," Alessa stated.

Heather smiled slightly. At least they had that in common.

The conversation turned awkward. What else could they say to each other? Obviously their parents didn't want them here. Why should they disobey them this time? There was no real reason for them be here except for their curiosity. Why were they drawn to each other? On Alessa's side, that was obvious, but was that enough reason to be here with a complete stranger? She found herself doubting her desire to know more about Heather's life last night. Regardless of what Heather was, did she really need to be socializing with her? Wasn't it enough to satisfy her curiosity and ascertain that Heather was what she thought she was? Her dad would have left it at that had it been one of his doubles he was facing.

A thought suddenly struck Alessa. "Hey, uh, you like _Degrassi_? The new version?"

Heather's eyes lit up. "Yeah. How'd you know?"

Alessa smiled. "I had a feeling."

* * *

They talked for what seemed like hours, going over their favorite things. Their favorite shows, their favorite movies. Each girl was amazed at how easy it was to talk to the other.

Alessa was relieved Heather didn't seem weird. This didn't seem like a cult member. She was actually a pretty decent person.

"I was glad to meet you, Heather," Alessa said.

"Yeah, same here. Hey, why don't we keep in touch? I'll give you my phone number and we can get together sometime," Heather suggested.

It might have been foolish – giving out her phone number to someone she just met. But something told Heather Alessa wasn't the threat her father thought she was. She was a good person.

"If it's okay with you," she added.

"Yeah, sure."

"Here's my phone number. Don't be alarmed if you get my dad. Just tell him you're a friend of mine and you should be all right."

"Okay." Alessa wrote down Heather's number.

The girls shared a look of mutual admiration.

"It was really nice talking with you, Alessa. I so rarely get to talk to any kids my age," Heather commented.

"Yeah, same here."

"Call me," Heather said, giving Alessa one last glance. Alessa nodded and watched as her double walked away. That wasn't so bad. She was expecting the worst, but instead Heather turned out to be a decent person. She was looking forward to seeing her again. Sooner rather than later, if possible.

There were still a lot of questions to be answered, both for Heather and for herself. Alessa hadn't told Heather the truth about her past, or the mysterious connection between them. And she had a feeling Heather was hiding more than she let on. How else would she know to meet her there, unless she sensed it in some fashion?

But despite that detail, she was really looking forward to seeing her again. It was nice to talk to someone her age, for a change.

She didn't have many friends, something that had always been a problem in her life. The only ones she had were the people who took care of her, the ones who loved her unconditionally. Everyone else shunned her for the most part, sometimes snidely making comments about her, other times full-out tormenting her until she struck out at them in anger. It was only occasionally on which she found someone she could relate to.

And now she had someone with whom it seemed she could have that connection again.

She didn't know what had brought them together, but she wasn't about to turn down this opportunity to get to know her double. Satisfied with the way things had progressed, Alessa decided to check out the rest of the mall's stores. She was always up for a little excursion to clear her mind.

* * *

As Heather walked away, she contemplated what had just taken place. That wasn't so bad, she thought to herself. She didn't seem like a bad person. A little sappy, but not everyone could be as sharp as Heather. Of course, her father would say that was being "blunt", but what did he know? In Heather's experience, you couldn't afford to be overly polite to people. Sometimes you just had to tell it like it is.

She wasn't expecting things to go this far. She was expecting to solve a mystery and maybe get to know another person better. Instead she'd made a new friend, and here she was handing out her phone number to someone she only met just a few hours ago. She didn't know why she felt compelled to give Alessa her number. She only knew this was one person she definitely wanted to keep in contact with. There was something…special about Alessa. She didn't know what it was, but something told her it would be worth her time to get to know this person. They were already friends and this was just the first time they'd met for more than five minutes.

It was weird. Heather didn't make friends easily. She wasn't into a lot of the things other girls were into. Hair, make-up, dating, girly things of other kinds…none of that fascinated Heather when she was in high school. She preferred to be herself, unorthodox interests and all. Yet with Alessa she was completely comfortable. There wasn't a need to explain why watching a _Star Wars_ movie was more enjoyable than going out to hunt for guys in the mall, she just _knew_. She knew what interested Heather and what didn't, because she had those interests herself. Of course, they had only scratched the surface of what was to be discovered about each other. There was the feeling they could go for years and still not learn everything there was to learn about each other. But it was a start. A very good start indeed.

* * *

Heather walked into the apartment in high spirits. Harry was waiting for her, as expected, and he immediately got up to greet her at the door. Heather nearly rolled her eyes at how eager her dad appeared to hear what she had to report, as though she was carrying urgent news on the most important matter imaginable.

"How did it go?" Harry asked, visibly anxious to hear her response.

Heather shrugged in response. "It went pretty well, actually," she said. "She's actually a very nice person. A little sappy, but everyone has their issues."

"Really?" Harry raised his eyebrows, in slight disbelief.

"Yeah. I don't know, we just talked for a while," Heather said with a shrug, "comparing notes about what we like and don't like. She loves pizza by the way, just like me. She also doesn't really go for girly things, actually. I don't think I saw an ounce of makeup on her," she said. It was a fact that Heather cared little for things like makeup, and Harry knew that better than most. He approved of her not wearing those things, because in his opinion, she didn't

"So that's what you've been doing all this time?" Harry asked, crossing his arms over his chest thoughtfully.

"Yeah. We were just talking about different things, sitting in the mall. She told me about her parents, we discussed movies and TV shows we like, all sorts of stuff. Her name's Alessa. Alessa Summers," Heather said.

Since she was setting her keys down on the counter, Heather didn't notice the way Harry's eyes lit up in recognition when she mentioned Alessa's name.

"Alessa?" Harry asked, sounding casually interested.

"Yeah, strange name, huh? I'd expect it to be an Alessandra, but it isn't shortened for anything. I don't know why her parents didn't just name her Alyssa. I kinda like it better than Alyssa, I just don't know why they didn't name her the more obvious choice. Anyway, she was real nice. She was just as interesting in finding me as I was in finding her. And wouldn't you know it, her folks put up just as much protest as you did. Hell, her parents actually wanted her take a stun gun, like I was some psycho who was going to try to attack her in broad daylight…" As Heather continued, she didn't notice the way Harry's face took on a troubled expression, the more Heather talked about this girl she had met and found she had so much in common with. He was lost in his thoughts about what this could mean, until he noticed Heather was saying something that alarmed him a bit.

"You gave her your number?" Harry asked, with something resembling slight concern in his voice. Putting aside his troubling thoughts momentarily, he focused on what Heather was saying.

"Yeah, I didn't see a real reason not to. She was very nice, and she's not some psycho out to kill me or anything. It was nice to talk to someone else my own age," Heather said, recalling the ease with which she talked to Alessa at the mall. Harry was definitely concerned by now, but he wasn't going to show it openly, in front of his daughter, if he could help it.

"Well, I'm glad things went so well for you then," Harry said, masking his concern under a neutral tone, along with a smile just to throw her off if she became suspicious.

"I'm going to go to my room. I think I'd like a little time by myself," Heather said, moving in the direction of her room.

"All right, I'll call you when it's time for dinner," Harry told her. With her attention directed elsewhere, Heather didn't notice the look of concern on Harry's face, which remained as she proceeded into her room. Harry's brow was furrowed in quiet concern, as he thought over everything he knew of the past he had still not shared with this young girl he considered his daughter. He mulled over every thought of what he remembered of those years, and the details he had learned about this young girl, that she had no idea about, and he had hoped wouldn't quite some time.

_Alessa…Dahlia's daughter…_

_

* * *

_

_Next chapter: What secrets does Heather herself have? And how will that affect her growing relationship with Alessa? How will Heather's first impression of Alessa's life go? Stay tuned for the answers to these questions, and much more! - PH316 ;D  
_


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